The group built a display in a South Haven, Mich., Wal-Mart Supercenter that highlighted three of Naturipe Farms' local blueberry growers â Ed Bocock, Shelly Hartmann and Larry Bodtke.

The display and promotion coincided with the National Blueberry Festival on Aug. 8-10 in South Haven, Mich.

The event highlighted efforts by Wal-Mart and the state of Michigan to promote the local economy, sustainability and highlight the availability of fresh local produce, said Robert Verloop, Naturipe Farmsâ vice president of marketing.

âWal-Mart has certainly stepped up and done a very nice job with local programs,â Verloop said. âThey are supporting the local economy and participating and getting involved with community-oriented retailing. Itâs a healthy move for us as an industry.â

The event was organized by Wal-Mart regional produce buyer Ed Mandl. In addition to Naturipe Farms growers, it featured an appearance by Gordon Wenk, deputy director for the Michigan Department of Agriculture ,and Priscilla Massie, culinary historian.

At the display, shoppers were treated to various blueberry dishes, including aebelskiver, a traditional Danish blueberry dish from Michigan pioneer days.

About the Author:

Pamela Riemenschneider, Editor

Pamela Riemenschneider has been with The Packer Newspaper for the past 11 years, and editor of sister publication Produce Retailer Magazine since 2009. During her time with Farm Journal Media, she’s traveled all over North America and Europe visiting grocery operations, from single-store fruit stands to national chain supermarkets. She focuses on retail and consumer trends, packaging, new products and in-store operations to help retailers build exceptional produce categories. She also produces a video series from her Austin, Texas, home, “Pamela’s Kitchen,” where she does first-hand reviews of new products, often featuring her two sons, Ike and Uli.